Shivraj Singh Chouhan Tears into Congress Over Electoral Setbacks and State Factionalism

• by Akanksha Mishra
• 2026-10-12 15:46:00

Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched a fierce political counter-offensive against the Indian National Congress on Monday afternoon, asserting that the opposition party’s persistent electoral setbacks stem directly from its rudderless top brass rather than the functioning of statutory constitutional bodies. Addressing reporters during a press conference at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national headquarters in New Delhi, Chouhan dismissed the grand old party’s attempts to question the integrity of the Election Commission of India (ECI), arguing that staging public demonstrations and blaming independent democratic institutions after facing defeat at the ballot box has become an institutional habit for a party detached from the country's ground realities.

Internal Rifts in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh: Chouhan Cites Rampant Factional Feuds

The Union Minister highlighted deep organizational fractures within key provincial Congress committees to explain the party’s electoral slide:

Leadership Tumult in Punjab: Pointing to persistent infighting in Punjab, Chouhan noted that escalating friction between the rival camps of former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and outgoing state unit chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring severely eroded party unity, ultimately forcing the high command to hand over the state unit reins to Pargat Singh.

Tussle Over Command in Uttar Pradesh: In Uttar Pradesh, the minister pointed to emerging factional skirmishes between supporters of newly appointed state president Aradhana Mishra and loyalists of former UPCC chief Ajay Rai, arguing that grassroot workers remain caught in endless turf battles.

Structural Paralysis Across State Units: Chouhan asserted that identical factional friction plagues Congress units across various states, paralyzing local campaign machinery long before polling dates arrive.

Systematic Attacks on Constitutional Bodies Under Fire

Chouhan took sharp aim at the opposition’s recurring practice of challenging independent watchdog institutions following unfavorable electoral mandates:

Pattern of Scapegoating: The senior BJP leader asserted that the Congress party has developed a habitual reflex of targeting statutory and constitutional institutions instead of undertaking genuine introspective reviews of its strategic policy failures.

Disregard for the National Pulse: Emphasizing that democratic verdicts mirror public sentiment, Chouhan remarked that an opposition disconnected from citizen aspirations inevitably chooses to malign the electoral process rather than accept the popular verdict.

Erosion of Public Trust: The minister cautioned that relentless, unfounded attacks on autonomous democratic pillars undermine global perceptions of Indian democratic processes purely for partisan narrative building.

The Trigger Behind the Clash: Congress Demands CEC Gyanesh Kumar's Resignation

The sharp exchange unfolds amidst escalating political confrontation regarding the internal functioning of the poll panel:

Call for CEC's Resignation: The Congress party recently stepped up pressure demanding the immediate resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, alleging critical discrepancies during the Special Summary Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Reported Internal Objections: Political tensions peaked following media claims that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally raised procedural objections on at least 14 separate occasions over the previous 10 months regarding administrative determinations executed without full commission consultation.

BJP Stands Behind Institutional Integrity: Countering the allegations, Chouhan reiterated that administrative deliberations inside constitutional commissions cannot serve as an excuse for an opposition party seeking to deflect accountability away from its internal leadership vacuum.

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